About

After working as a research assistant at the Political Science department of the University of Antwerp for one and a half year, I started my own PhD in 2016. My research focuses on the interplay between interest group politics, public opinion and public policy. Key questions I am examining are when and how interest groups strengthen or weaken the connection between citizens’ policy preferences and public policy outcomes. I am proficient in news and legislative content analyses and survey research for statistical analysis purposes (R and STATA). On the 25th of February 2021, I publicly defended my dissertation. Currently, I am further developing my research agenda as an FWO senior postdoctoral fellow.

I am an active member of the ECPR Standing Group on Interest Groups and regularly participate in activities organized by the network of interest group scholars in the Low Countries.

Highlights of international activities

  • Co-convenor, together with Tom Willaert (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Diliara Valeeva (Universiteit van Amsterdam), and Frederik Heylen (Datamarinier) of the workshop ‘Digital Political Science: Bringing computational data gathering and analysis techniques to political science’ at the 2023 Annual Political Science Workshops of the Low Countries
  • Co-chair, together with Daniel Rasch (FernUniversität in Hagen), of the 2021 ECPR General Conference section ‘The Times They are A-Changin’: Interest Groups and Lobbying in Times of Societal and Political Change’, endorsed by the Standing Group on Interest Groups
  • Co-convenor, together with Moritz Müller, Caelesta Braun (Leiden University) and Sharon Belli (University of Antwerp) of the workshop ‘Organized interests and the public interest: an imperfect relationship?’ at the 2019 Annual Political Science Workshops of the Low Countries

Teaching

  • Lecturer Political Science (‘Politicologie’) (2022-2025), Bachelor of Laws – University of Antwerp
  • Coaching close-reading sessions Issues in International Relations (2020-2022), Bachelor in Political Science – University of Antwerp

Other activities:

  • Guest lecturer Lobbying in the European Union (2020 & 2022), European Public Affairs Master – Maastricht University
  • Guest lecturer Interest Representation in the EU (2021), Master in European Studies & Master in Political Science – Université Libre de Bruxelles
  • Guest lecturer Seminar on Lobbying & Interest Group Politics (2018-2019 & 2022), Master in Political Science – University of Antwerp
  • Guest lecturer Political Actors & Behavior (2019-2021), Bachelor in Political Science – University of Antwerp
  • Debate moderator European Integration (2015-2019), Bachelor in Political Science – University of Antwerp
  • Student supervisor EUROSIM (2020), Master in Political Science – University of Antwerp

Thesis supervision

  • Currently, I supervise several master’s theses in the political science programs of my department.
  • During the academic year 2023-2024, I co-supervise bachelor theses (group work) with teaching assistent Frederik Stevens and Dr. Bastiaan Redert in the Political Science program of my department. Students will analyze lobbying during Belgian (Flemish) election campaigns.
  • During the academic year 2020-2021, I co-supervised bachelor theses (group work) with Prof. dr. Jan Beyers in the Political Science program of my department. Students analyzed the prioritization and development of Flemish climate policies. In addition, I also supervised four master’s theses in the Comparative Politics program of Radboud University, Nijmegen.

Professional research experience

  • March 2021 – present: Post-doctoral researcher (FWO financed since 01/10/2021) – Department of Political Science, University of Antwerp
  • January 2016 – February 2021: PhD Candidate – Department of Political Science, University of Antwerp
  • July 2014 – December 2015: Research assistant – Department of Political Science, University of Antwerp

Media appearances and public outreach

  • Radio 1 (26/02/2024): Verliezen protestacties hun effect als ze gepaard gaan met amok en vandalisme?
  • Radio 1 (18/02/2024): Hoe ver kunnen boerenprotesten nog gaan? “De publieke opinie kan snel kantelen”
  • News article BRUZZ (04/04/2023): Brusselse politici zijn favoriete doelwit van lobbyisten
  • Discussion on the future of the Sociaal-Economische Raad van Vlaanderen (SERV) with the daily management members (28/02/2023)
  • #ExpeditionSocialSciences (December 2022): When were you part of lobbying?
  • News article VRT NWS (12/07/2022): Uber-lobby zou taxidossier in Brussel sterk hebben beïnvloed, maar hoe gaan lobbyisten eigenlijk te werk?
  • Lunch talks BePact & Hill+Knowlton on the interplay between public opinion, interest groups and public policy (October 2021)
  • Universiteit van Vlaanderen & associated opinion piece in Knack (30/08/2021): Is lobbyen legale corruptie?
  • Podcast Politicologica: Wiens belang vertegenwoordigen lobbyisten?
  • Press>Speak 2021: Onterecht negatief imago van belangengroepen in de politiek
  • News article De Standaard (28/08/2019): Helft adviesraden leidt obscuur bestaan
  • News article De Standaard (16/07/2018): Belgisch middenveld te afhankelijk van subsidies

Education

  • 2013-2014: Master in Political Science (distinction), University of Antwerp
  • 2010-2013: Bachelor of Science in Political Science (distinction), University of Antwerp

Here, you can download my CV.